Rewind, Unwind and Ramble along

Two weeks of go, go, go
Now is time to rewind and unwind

My upper chest and left arm still suffer from stinging pain
as a result of shingles
unfortunately, not the kind one puts on the roof.
My mind is scanning for moments from last week
that left imprints on the trail I trotted along
as if I'm trying to pick the fruits
dangling from the tree of memory...

(Sunday, March 25th)
We walked from table to table savoring vegetarians/vegans' imagination at the VegeFest. Tofu turned out to be the key ingredient for anything that attempts to imitate the meat flavor. Why do we have to have vegetarian sausages/hot dogs - vegetarian food names tinted with meat flavor? Don't vegetarians/vegans pride themselves on their purity and their principle of "no-kill?" Yet, they can't seem to stay away from the meat lovers' lingo. Then, there was a table displaying caviar made from seaweed. Quite a creation - I have to say - the shape, the color, even the taste. It was sold as vegetarian caviART. Again, this naming strategy resembles that of the "vegetarian hot dog." Maybe it is just a way to lure meat lovers away into the vegetarian/vegan utopia and give them an alternative of loving "meat" without killing the beast. We walked away with a bag full of "freebies" at the expense of us spending $20 on becoming a member of the Washington State Vegetarian Association.

With all kinds of VegeFest samples still lingering in the stomach, we found ourselves in the buffet line at the Il Fornio for the Jewish Film Festival Closing Night Gala. There was a long line curving along the buffet table with multiple arms reaching into different beautifully displayed plates. The inviting smell filled the air, recharged our appetite and expanded our stomach for more food. We jumped the line thanks to H&G who were at the front end of the line. We ate, chatted, and drank. Good food, good dessert, good tea and good company. Then, we were off to the last film of the Festival, a documentary about a photographer whose passion is documenting the terrorist activities, conflicts and wars in action in areas such as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The documentary is like the photographer himself - very intense and passion-driven. I admire someone who purses passion so exuberantly. It's a blessing to know what exactly you want to do in your life.

Another week went by. The details escaped me without visible traces.

Last Saturday, we had friends (T & J) and family over for dinner. It's fun to sit around a table of food and chat.

Sunday, we drove over to Ballard to see about renting a Tuxedo for a Black Tie event that we will be going in May. After a quick peek around the Tuxedo shop, we strolled down the Ballard ave and explored shops that I have never been to before. There was so much creativity seeping through the doors of these shops/boutiques: furniture made of bamboo, bags made of recycled materials, vintage furniture, green engineered floors etc...The whole street is brimming with entrepreneurs spirits.

This week, the Baseball Season started. I know what that means for me. M will be in his halo zone with his eyes/ears wide open for anything that's Angels-related. I will feel compelled to send some good mojo to his team and mimic the commentator say "Just another Halo victory!" So, Monday he went to the first game of this season while I planted some ground-cover plants next to our sidewalk.

The days are really getting longer. I love biking while it's bright outside. And yesterday (Friday, 4/6) we had another weather-related record, 78 degrees! Many people had their summer outfits on - miniskirts, shorts and sandals. I was still wrapped in my cardigan and didn't feel the heat at all. Guess what - today we are back in the 50s! Ah, or ghurr, Seattle's unpredictable weather!